Love Is Blind
by Rockin'ItMeStyle
Summary: If love is blind, how can there be love at first sight?
1. Chapter I

When you have to rely on someone, it makes you feel like you have no choices. You cannot be yourself; you cannot do as you wish. You must go by what you learned, and must never go astray from the rules. I stay alive because of these rules. To say the least, I am the most vulnerable witch out there, besides the ones with no real magical ability. My mum always told me I was more talented than my older brother, the one she loved more than I. But when you have a pure-blood family that only cares about perfect, who would care about little old me?

My name is Darcyn Valentine. I am daughter to ones of the wizarding world's oldest and noblest pure-blood families. I will admit, if felt nice to be loved, to be looked up to. But, how can you look up to someone if you can't see them? I had been blind for as long as I can remember, and I don't really remember most of my life. It was all a blur of etiquette and learning how to be a "poor little blind girl". Being the poor little blind girl that I was, I could no longer rely on my sight for help, obviously, so I began to rely on my sense of hearing. If they were within a twenty foot radius, I could hear them just as fine as if they were standing beside me, any further than that, it would be reduced to a whisper.

I still went to Hogwarts. I was in my seventh year. I wasn't blind until my fifth year had come about. I remember being made fun of, and tripped on my way to class, though I was supposed to have someone guiding, but they were always preoccupied. Everyone took advantage of me. I could see them, so it was easy for them to do that. Over the years, I had gotten tougher. I was no longer Darcyn, the poor little blind girl. I had become Darcyn, the blind girl that would turn you into a warty frog if you did anything to her. And trust me, in the state that I was, I was allowed to punish those as I seemed fit, if they decided to get cocky and do something stupid.

When I became a sixth year, I was the perfect Slytherin; rude, arrogant (on the outside), and pure-blood. At first, I was confused as to why I had been sorted into Slytherin, but then it dawned on me. I was persistent, angry, and pure-blood. Was that all it took? Had I really wanted Slytherin though, in order to please my parents?

When I finally got into my seventh year at Hogwarts, I think I may have been beginning to gain some respect from my peers. But that only started happening after that awful day. I had been walking back to the castle from my care of magical creatures' class. I had just walked to the edges of the Forbidden Forest when a werewolf attacked me.

_The sun was going down, I could feel it. The warmth of the day was receding. I had become very good at being able to tell when it was sunset. Professor Grubbly-Plank had given us an essay to do on Hippogriffs, and I felt very confident about this particular assignment. She had always been my favorite professor._

_I knew the school grounds very well, so as I trailed my fingers across the trees as I walked, I knew when I was reaching the borders of the forest. But I paused just at the edge. I could hear the crunching of leaves under heavy feet. I moved my hair from over my ears, hoping for a better hear, but as I knew whatever it was was jumping from the ground at straight at me. It was human instinct, so I turned around. I couldn't see, but that didn't stop me from turning. Something tackled me to the ground, knocking all the air from my lungs._

_A searing pain slashed three ways across my face, and I screamed at the top of lungs. I didn't know if anyone could hear me. I was flailing around trying to get whatever it was off of me, and screaming and crying for somebody to help me. I could feel blood on my face. The warmth of it was a clear sign I was bleeding, also, some of it got into my mouth, and the metallic taste was not something I wanted to taste._

"_Help, please help me!" I screamed as loud as I could. Claws tore at my arms and I felt my blood run down my arms._

"_Darcyn?" I heard a familiar voice. It was a male, but I knew he was on the Slytherin house._

"_Oh my God!" He shouts, and his footsteps get faster as he runs towards me. "Immobulus!"_

_Whatever was on top of me had stopped trying to kill me and rolled over onto my left side. The true pain set in and I began crying harder and screamed whenever it seemed more painful than it should. Especially when my tears hit the gashes on my face._

"_Darcyn, this is going to hurt, but you need to bear with me."_

_I could only moan in pain. That was the response he got. He slid his arms under me and I screamed again in pain as he took up a fast run towards what I was guessing was the hospital wing._

"_Madam Pomfrey!"_

"_Oh dear…" I felt his arms disappear from under me. What replaced them was a bed. The bed didn't help to stop the pain. _

"_Shh, sweetheart you will be fine in a moment. Oh dear…"_

_All the while, as Madam Pomfrey fixed me up, whoever had taken me to the hospital wing had held my hand the entire time. The boy gave my hand a reassuring squeeze from time to time, but I could hear his rapidly beating heart and how fast his breath was coming. This must have been worse than it felt._


	2. Chapter II

**This is the start of the rewritten version of Love Is Blind. I hope you guys like this new chapter, and over time I will rewrite all of the other chapters and continue updating the story. Please enjoy and tell me what you think! :)**

Today had been a strangely uneventful one. It was Saturday, which just happened to be the usual most exciting day during the weekends. But, today seemed to be the exception. In the Slytherin common room was packed with students talking amongst themselves. A while back I had been mauled by a werewolf, giving me three long scars that turned down the edge of my left eye and the edge of my mouth, though people had stopped talking about that. I waded through the sea of students, struggling towards the door, when I caught on to an interesting conversation. I slowed down, my head leaning slightly towards the right. I knew that I had the expression of one of those flighty animals when they perked their ears, listening to that rustle of the leaves.

"Are you kidding me? Why would you even want to talk with someone like her?" A boy sneered.

"She's different; not like all of these other girls just wanting to get inside your pants," A deeper voice said haughtily. It was obvious he wasn't trying to sound like that on purpose, it just came naturally.

"And you have to admit, she's pretty hot." He continued. Who were these two boys talking about? Unconsciously I leaned towards the conversation, trying to pick up anything else, when I suddenly felt a warm air against my neck.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you eavesdropping is rude?"

I jumped, letting out a small yelp. The boy chuckled, grabbing my arm, ushering me out of the common room. I could tell that my cheeks were as bright as a tomato, because they were steadily growing warmer. I stopped in the middle of the hall, listening as whomever this boy was leaned against the wall, his robes making a ruffling sound.

"I'm going to guess you heard what they said," He began. I nodded.

"Obviously," I said sarcastically. I could tell he was trying to hold back a smile. I didn't know how I knew, just the tone of his voice made me assume such things.

"Hey, don't get sarcastic with me. I pulled you away from that conversation for a reason—"

"And that reason was?" I asked harshly. Being sarcastic and cynical was just my thing nowadays. I had gone blind when I was younger, and being in my seventh year, I've learned to be independent. I didn't need anyone anymore, and I was going to make this obvious. I didn't like to be treated like I was a poor little blind girl.

"Because, if you didn't realise this already, they were talking about you," He snapped. I rolled my eyes. Just because I was blind, didn't mean I couldn't do this. I'm not sure how it may have looked to whoever I was talking to, but I could still do it nonetheless. Though my glares weren't that impressive; in fact, I've been told they were quite funny.

"Yes, I did realise that. Since I knew they were talking about me, I kind of wanted to know the rest of the conversation!" I snapped back. "May I ask with whom I am speaking to?"

"Draco Malfoy," He says his voice as calm as it had been when he had caught me eavesdropping.

"Well, Malfoy, learn to keep your nose out of places it shouldn't be!" I said angrily, turning on my heel and walking up the stairs out of the dungeons. This Draco Malfoy sounded extremely and unnervingly familiar, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Miss Valentine, going for a walk around campus I suppose?" Asked the drawling and harsh voice of Headmaster and Potions master, Severus Snape.

"Yes, professor," I said, staring straight ahead. All the professors her knew I was blind, so if I went walking around campus they usually assigned someone to walk with me, afraid that I would walk into the lake and drown or run into a wall, or even trip down the stairs and crack my skull. These people were so ignorant sometimes, but Snape was different, and I respected him, though many didn't like him one bit. Rumour had it, though I'm not sure because rumours at Hogwarts were hardly ever true, that Snape had killed Dumbledore. The story had changed many times over the past year, but the ending stayed the same.

"Do be careful will you?" He said, a tinge of concern colouring his tone. I nodded and brushed past him, stepping out into the Courtyard and walked around a big tree, reaching up to find a branch I could climb. Finding a low one, I grabbed it with both hands and hauled myself up onto it. I leaned against the trunk, my legs dangling off both sides of the branch.

I could get Draco Malfoy out of my mind for some reason. He seemed extremely cocky, but I could hear another layer in his voice, a hint of something else that made him different. The Malfoy's whom I knew very well, were well known among the pure-blood community. They were exceedingly loyal to the Dark Lord, and would do almost anything to please him. Bellatrix Lestrange, a Death Eater who was practically in love with Lord Voldemort, was only related to the Malfoy's because of her sister Narcissa Malfoy. I don't really know why all this suddenly popped into my head, but it seemed to go along with the undertone of complete sadness in Draco's voice.

I sighed and let myself relax, telling myself I didn't need to worry about Malfoy. He wasn't my problem, and I just had to keep that in mind so I wouldn't start obsessing over it.


	3. Chapter III

**Another re-vamped chapter. I think this is really good, because I added a little bit more detail than what I had originally typed this chapter up to be. Pay attention, voices are very important in this story. Remember how I describe them!**

**Sincerely,**

**Rockin'ItMeStyle**

That night, I was in the library. At Hogwarts, there had never been cases of a blind student, but because I was, they had to have at least one copy of all of their books so I would be able to read them. I slid my fingers over the page, mumbling the words quietly to myself when suddenly I heard movement in the section across from me. I tilted my head, knowing my eyes had gone wide, listening intently for the source of movement. Another rustle of clothing against the floor had me gathering my belongings and walking swiftly towards the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Said a deep and extremely haughty voice from behind me. Despite the fact that I felt running would be my only survival option at this point; I was frozen where I stood. I knew that voice.

"Somewhere you're not," I retorted in my arrogant voice. I saved this for those people I really didn't like, and Blaise Zabini definitely qualified as someone I didn't like. He gripped my shoulders and spun me around, making me face him, even though I couldn't see him. Because I was blind, all of my senses, except for the obvious one, had been enhanced over the years. So I could hear his slow and steady heartbeat, just barely, and feel the heat of his skin through my thin sweater.

He chuckled, his hands sliding down my arms. I could feel my face twist in disgust as I slapped his hands away. "Get off me!" I snapped, pushing him back. He grunted as he hit one of the chairs at the nearest table. And then he started towards me again, I tried to turn and run, but he gripped my arms and shoved me against the wall. I writhed and twisted and kicked but he was amazingly strong. My arms were starting to go numb with the force he was exerting to keep me against the wall. He paralyzed me again, but this time instead of with words, it was with his mouth on mine. And he wasn't nice with it either; it was harsh, and somehow, I new I would have a lot of bruises in the morning. I kicked up with my knee and he doubled over, wheezing in pain.

As I tried to run, he put his foot out, making me trip and fall.

"You're gonna pay for that," He rasped. I scrambled up from the ground, running from the library, forgetting my belongings.

"_Immobulus!" _He shouted; I dodged the spell, shooting back a few of my own, but with little commitment. What I was really trying to do was get the hell away from him. I ran down the stairs, stumbling at the last one, but I didn't let that get the best of me. I gripped the corner of a wall, swinging around it to give me more speed.

"_Sectumsempra!" _A shooting pain went up my leg, but that's as far as it went, because I cast a protection spell. As I ran down the next hall, suddenly becoming short of breath, I never I thought I would be more thankful for running into someone than I felt now.

"Darcyn?" I stopped being thankful when I heard his voice. He gripped my arms, probably just now glancing up to see who I had been running from.

"Blaise? Why are you two up?" Draco asked his voice a mixture of surprise and total confusion. I squirmed out of his grip and ran around him so I could use him as a shield if Blaise got any smart ideas.

"He kissed me," I whispered so only Draco could hear. I gripped his shoulders. "And I'll probably have a few rather large bruises in the morning."

I could hear Draco's heart pick up its speed, probably in anger or with adrenaline. Probably with something I couldn't see, something that Blaise had done over the few seconds it took to tell Draco why I had been running.

"What are you doing up, Blaise?" Draco asked harshly. His tone of voice was making an image of him form in my mind. I could picture a tall but thin and lanky boy sneering at another tall and more muscular boy. My grip tightened on his shoulders.

"That's none of your concern, Malfoy," It was obvious that Blaise held a fair amount of disdain for Draco.

"Well, in fact, Zabini, it is my concern because not only did Valentine here tell me what you did, but you're up past curfew. That's worthy of detention."

"She was up too!" Blaise exclaimed. I could picture the tall muscular boy I had envisioned throw up his hands in a temper. Draco shrugged, I knew, because my hands were still like a vice on his shoulders.

"How do I know that she could have woken up to use the restroom, and you were up trying to look for any girls that might have been up as well," Draco countered.

"You and I both know damn well that isn't—"

"No, I don't know Zabini. I suggest you high-tail it back to your dorm before I write you a detention and have to explain to Professor Snape why you were up so late." Draco snapped. I resisted the urge to snicker; this really was amusing, even to a blind girl.

Blaise walked away, his pulse hammering away with anger and exertion from all of the running her had just done.

"Okay, now what really happened?" Draco asked, rounding on me. The humour was gone and I backed away from him.

"Nothing—" I started, but he cut me off.

"You know that's crap, because you even told me that he tried to kiss you." Draco snapped. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. This was a total mistake because the bruises that were starting to form on my arms were really starting to throb and I winced. Draco noticed this.

"He hurt you," He said stupidly. I rolled my eyes.

"No shit, Sherlock," I said sarcastically. He stepped in front of me, so close to where I could feel his breath just like earlier today. I wanted to so badly to run away like I had with Blaise, but just the brief encounters with Draco made me feel like he could take me down in a second without a moment's hesitation.

He grabbed my wrist and pushed up the sleeve of my sweater. He took in a sharp breath at the sight of my arm. I was going to guess that the bruises were worse than they felt, or probably not at all bad, but were in the form of Blaise's hand. Draco examined my other arm and even went as far as to light his wand and tilt my face every which way so he could see if I was hurt there too.

"Okay, Doctor, I'm fine!" I hissed, slapping his hands away.

"Why is it always you that gets into trouble?" He mumbled, not intending me to hear that. But I did anyway. What was that supposed to mean? I voiced my thoughts.

"What the _hell _is that supposed to mean?"

His heart skipped a beat in surprise. "You're a danger magnet," He said easily as though he had been expecting me to answer his rhetorical question that I was never intended to hear.

"Well, thanks for that, Malfoy. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm very tired and would like to sleep now." I pushed past him and began down the stairs to the Slytherin common room where maybe, I might be able to get some peace. I walked through the portrait hole after muttering the password. I didn't even want to go up to the dorms, so I plopped down on the sofa and closed my eyes.

Draco Malfoy was really beginning to irritate me.


	4. Chapter IV

**Hey everyone! I am SO sorry for the long wait for another re-vamped update, but I hope I can make up for it with this chapter! I am striving for excellence, so don't be afraid to tell me if this chapter completely sucks moobs. But, FINALLY we get a tiny peek into that platinum blonde head of Draco's! Personally, I feel like he really likes Darcyn, but that's up for you to decided. And what do you think Darcyn should do about Draco?**

Frustration boiled inside of him. He ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at it in anger. He turned abruptly and slammed his fist against the wall. It hurt, but he grit his teeth against the pain.

He had saved her damn life! She likely wouldn't realize it was he who had, but she could be less irritating. How could girls be so… so…? Draco was at a loss for words. He continued down the hall, not bothering to peer down the hallways like he was supposed to. Blaise was going to pay for what he had done. Draco couldn't even begin to fathom what had been going through that boys mind.

Over the years, Draco had assumed that Blaise was the quiet one. The one who only voiced his opinions when he thought they were most needed. Someone he could talk to but not on a completely emotional level. Blaise knew how Draco felt about Darcyn. He knew, and he didn't seem to respect it, at least not anymore.

He had the sudden urge to punch the wall again.

"Stop it," He heard a girl giggle. Draco cocked his head to the side, listening closely. He could just faintly hear heavy breathing, more like gasping. He snorted; probably a bunch of first years happy about getting lucky. He smirked and made a show with very loud footsteps as he walked towards them. He saw the shadows of a girl and boy running around the corner at top speed. Draco rolled his eyes and kept walking.

His thoughts wandered back to Darcyn. Over the years, he'd grown to admire her strength. She was blind, and that was unusual for magical families. If you were blind, basically, you shouldn't be allowed to use magic. And if you were, you had a guide with you at all times. She was also very beautiful, at least to him. Her hair was long and fell to her waist in ebony curls. Her eyes, though cloudy, were a strange mix of green and brown. They weren't quiet green, and they weren't quite brown. And they certainly couldn't be called hazel. Her skin was frail looking, and ivory in color. Though some would say the scars on her face marred her beauty, Draco thought it enhanced it tenfold. She looked strong, like she could take on the world. Three jagged lines went down the left side of her face, turning down the corners of her eye and mouth. The lines continued down her neck and her left arm. And Draco was willing to bet there were scars on her chest, but Madam Pomfrey had made him leave when she had gotten to that part.

Draco sighed and glanced down at his hand. It was throbbing and beginning to swell. A trip to the Hospital Wing couldn't hurt. He was sure he had broken something. He should have, considering how he had slammed his fist full force into a stone wall. He pushed open the doors with his left hand and glanced around the room. Cots lined the walls, and at the very back of the room was Madam Pomfrey, scribbling idly on a piece of parchment, her head resting against her left hand. She glanced up from her work when she heard approaching footsteps. She smiled fondly at the blonde and gestured for him to take a seat on one of the beds.

"What happened this time, Malfoy?" She questioned as she made her way towards him.

He extended his right arm, his cheeks warm with embarrassment. She examined his hand and tsked with disappointment. "Honestly," She muttered under her breath as she cleaned the blood from his hand. He winced. "You could be more careful."

"I punched a wall," he informed her.

"What did that wall ever do to you?" She questioned with a knowing smirk.

He sighed. "I got angry is all. It was either the wall, or the students in the next hall over."

She nodded. "Well, now I'm glad it was the wall. You sure did do some damage, boy."

He chuckled. She filled a glass with one of her many potions and handed it to him. "You broke your knuckles when you fought the wall. This won't taste good, but it'll be less painful than other ways to fix you up."

He grimaced and drank it all in one swallow. He gagged after the vile liquid went down his throat but pressed his lips together and shook his head. Madam Pomfrey laughed and patted his shoulders. "That's a good boy."

She wrapped his hand in gauze and clipped it tight. "You'll be fine. Now, finish patrolling and off to bed with you."

Draco slid off the cot and followed her to her desk. "Why aren't you asleep?"

She smiled. "I tried," She said honestly. "But my mind is too busy."

Draco nodded. He knew how that could be. He was often left in situations like that whenever he was home with his mother and father. Sometimes he would get into fights with his father that would keep him up for hours and hours at a time.

"But I'm fine," she said. "Now, go!"

Draco smiled and turned on his heel. He left the Hospital Wing and walked slowly down the hall towards the dungeons. He would patrol all the way to bed, is what he was going to do.

"Password?" The portrait groaned, fighting to keep his drooping eyelids open. He leaned haphazardly against the side of his frame, in danger of falling out of his picture and into the next linked with his.

"Blood purity," Draco sighed. The portrait opened slowly and he ducked through the entrance. He passed through the common area, but paused just before he walked into the boys' dormitory. He glanced back to see Darcyn asleep on the sofa. Her small body was curled up, taking up little less that half of the couch. Her hair covered her body like a blanket. Her breathing was slow and even, and there was a very small and quiet snore.

Draco choked back his laughter and walked into his room that he shared with the other seventh years. He changed quickly and got into his bed. He stared up at the canopy. Sleep evaded him for what seemed like forever, but eventually, his eyes drifted closed.

His dreams were not merciful that night.


	5. Chapter V

The next morning, I woke up on the sofa. I definitely remembered how I got there, but I grimaced as I remembered the story. I stretched, wincing every time my joints popped. I had slept in the fetal position, arms and legs tucked in tight; I had probably looked like a ball. I ran my fingers through my hair and stood, swaying slightly before plopping right back down onto the sofa.

"Careful," A snooty voice called to me. "Don't fall."

"Shut up, Parkinson," I snapped. Her snickers died away as she exited the common room. I sighed and attempted standing again. I slid my fingers across the wall until I found the opening to the stairs for the girls' dormitory. I walked up the stairs slowly and made it to the top without any injuries, for which I was grateful.

"Hey Darcyn," A lower pitched girls voice called to me from the bathroom.

"Hey Astoria," I frowned. "Could you help me for a moment?"

"Sure," I heard her walk towards me. "What do you need?"

I sat down on a bed, not entirely sure if it was mine, but not really caring either. "What would you do if you liked someone?"

She gave a breathy laugh. "Well, you're definitely old enough to hear of such things, but—"

"Ugh!" I shook my head. "Never mind! Okay, how about if you were in my situation. What would you do if you liked someone?"

"I'd tell them, duh! Darcyn," She nudged me with her elbow. "Do you like someone?"

"No way!" I scoffed. "This is for… a friend of mine. She's scared to ask anyone and so I took it upon myself."

"Come _on_!" Astoria griped her best little girl whiny voice. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," I said.

"When was the last time you had a boyfriend?" She questioned knowingly.

"Err…"

"Exactly! So tell me, who's the lucky guy?"

I cleared my throat. "I can't tell you."

"But—"

"But I can tell you he is in Slytherin." I continued as though she hadn't spoken.

"Is Blaise?"

"Ew!"

"Marcus Flint?"

I gagged.

"Um, what about… Malfoy? He sure is a looker if I do say so myself."

I hesitated, probably a little bit too long. I think she noticed. "No, why would it be Malfoy?"

"It is!" She squealed. I felt the bed jumping up and down as she did. I gripped the sheets to stay where I was sitting, because in my position I was in danger of falling. I shouldn't have come to Astoria. Damn, I was bad with my judgment lately…

"You can't tell him!" I reached for her and put my hands on her shoulders. I hoped I was looking at her face, but for all I know, I could be looking at the wall beside her.

"I won't," She shrugged out from under my hands. "Now, today is a Saturday. What are you going to wear?"

"My usual?"

"Ew! It's a Hogsmeade weekend, stupid!" She slapped my shoulder.

"Come on," She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to her side of the bedroom. "We look about the same size, so you can borrow something of mine."

She rummaged through her trunk until she came out with something I obviously couldn't see. "Here," I felt her place fabric into my hands. It was soft, very soft. It also kind of felt like a dress.

"Astoria," I grimaced. "I can't wear a dress! It's almost winter!"

She laughed. "Of course you can, it gives you an excuse to keep warm."

"Well, don't I get a sweater?"

"Nope, silly, did you think I meant keep warm with clothing?" She laughed as though it were the most ridiculous thing in the world. So, what does this tell you of one of my only true friends in Slytherin?

She guided me to the bathroom and helped me with the dress, because I couldn't see how to put it on. I could feel the thin fabric hugging my body. It made me feel weird. "Astoria, I don't know about this…"

"Oh come on, Darcy! You look amazing," She sighed. "You have the perfect body for that dress."

I would just have to take her word for it. She moved behind me so she could start on my hair. "Were going to straighten your hair, okay?"

"That's going to be difficult," I warned her. "My hair is bloody horrible at staying straight."

"Not with magic, it isn't!" She said in a sing-song voice. For a moment, I felt lightheaded, and then the feeling disappeared as though it had never been there.

"Perfect," She ran her fingers through my hair. "All straight. Your hair is really long, you know that right?"

"Yeah," I said, feeling my hair. It was straight. "My mom refused to get it cut. My dad sees it as a liability."

"Liability? Darcy, your hair is your most powerful weapon! The boys of Slytherin House? Total hair-pullers.

"How would you know that?" I turned to face her.

She snorted. "Definitely not from experience. Pansy has a mouth bigger than her ego."

"Makes sense," I murmured.

Astoria laughed and pulled me from the bathroom. "Okay, I have a pair of flats you can borrow, but I want them back. They're the easiest shoes to take off when in… certain situations. Or so I've heard."

"You're an awful liar," I snickered as I put on the shoes.

"I resent that!" She gasped in mock offense.

"Are you ready yet, Astoria? The guys are—what the hell?"

"Do I look that bad?" I worried.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"You look amazing, Darcyn!" The girl that had entered the room walked over to me and touched my hair a lot. "Your hair is so long. I wish I had hair like that; I would have so many guys lined up with hair like that."

"See? I told you so," Astoria said. "Oh, and because you can't see, I'm sticking my tongue out at you!"

I laughed.

"Are we ready?" The girl asked.

"Yes," Astoria happily said.

"No," I grimaced.

"Oh, _come on _Darcyn! Live a little!"

"I don't even know what I look like!" I griped.

Astoria sighed. I heard a snap. "I took a picture of you. That way, if one day you miraculously get your sight back, you can see just how good you look. But until then, you will go to Hogsmeade with us, no complaining!"

Astoria hooked her arm with mine and dragged me out into the common room. "Hey ladies, what took you so long?" A relatively deep voice asked. He wasn't haughty in the least, which was a strange characteristic for a Slytherin boy.

"Darcyn here refused to come out." Astoria sniggered. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest, rolling my eyes in annoyance. "But we got her out, so can we go now?"

"Of course," Said the same voice. "Will someone keep hold of Darcyn so she doesn't wander?"

"I will," A male voice volunteered. It sounded familiar, like the deep voice of Blaise, but I would know his voice anywhere, because he always sounded arrogant and never sounded anything less than. After all, he was a true Slytherin.

The male who volunteered to keep me with the group looped his arm through mine. We didn't really talk, except for the occasional exchange on how we were, or if I was cold after we were outside for a while, or if I was hungry and if I wanted to detach from the group and find something to eat. He was being nice, but I didn't much care for it. It was strange; to say the least, being cared for by someone I probably didn't know.

"Hey Darcy, Theodore and I are going to Honeydukes with Flint and Millicent. Do you want to come or go somewhere with your guide?"

"She'll go somewhere with me,"

"Alright, we'll meet up at the Hogs Head, okay?"

"Fine by me," My guide steered me away from the group. My eyes were wide, I knew that, and I had no idea where this boy was taking me. I hadn't even gotten his name, so I didn't know him, and I didn't recognize his voice. Astoria must have trusted him, but I don't usually trust Astoria's judgment.

"Where are we going?" My voice was stronger than I actually felt.

"They made a new shop here and wanted to check it out. Firestone or something…" He said.

We walked in silence, my arm still firmly linked to his. We still didn't talk, which made the walk even more awkward. I heard a small bell as he held open a door for me, lightly pushing me through, though still holding onto me. The place smelled like cinnamon, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't pleasant either, because it was very strong.

"Huh," He scoffed. "It looks like one of those muggle restaurants I see all the time on my way to the Ministry with my father."

"My father works at the Ministry too," I said, attempting to spark conversation. He led us over to a table and made sure I was seated before he took his seat. "He works in the Quidditch department. He's the editor of the most popular magazines."

"You're boasting," He pointed out.

I snorted. "No, I'm stating facts."

"But you're saying it in a flaunting kind of way,"

"Am not,"

"Are so,"

"Am not,"

"Are so,"

"Whom am I arguing with?"

"You mean to tell me you don't recognize my voice? I'm hurt."

"Seriously," I said dully.

He laughed. "Draco Malfoy."

Déjà vu… I sighed. "And you didn't bother to tell me it was you?"

"Naw, I thought I would see how you would react with walking with a _stranger_. Didn't you notice how Astoria made sure not to say my name?"

"Yes, I did notice." I snapped.

"Hey, this is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it!" He had a smile in his voice.

"How can I when I think you're the most annoying person on this earth?" I lied.

"You're an awful liar," He called me on it.

"No, I'm not." I defended myself. I was a good liar. I could lie very well and people would believe me. My parents are good examples.

"Yes, you are. Your voice is perfect," Am I the only one hearing a double meaning? "But, you're expressions give you away."

"Expressions?"

"Yeah," He chuckled. "Just because you're blind doesn't mean your face doesn't change according to your emotions. Like, right now, you're annoyed."

I was. "What do I look like when I'm mad?"

"Much like you do now," He said. "Your eyes narrow and seem darker than they usually are. You cross your arms tightly and you press your lips together."

"Alright, how about when I'm happy?"

"That's easy," Draco laughed. "Your eyes have a certain light quality to them that's hard to describe. Your eyes will always squint slightly if you're laughing. But if you just smile, they don't. Your cheeks are usually kind of pink when you're happy."

"How do you know all of this?" I murmured.

"You're as easy to read as an open book," He said simply.

"I know that now," I muttered. "But a normal person wouldn't notice all of this and remember so… perfectly."

He cleared his throat. "I have a good memory is all."

I nodded and pressed my lips together to keep from smiling. "What?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing," I said innocently.

"Tell me," He insisted.

I let myself smile. "Why would you _bother _to remember such trivial things?"

"They're not trivial," He said seriously. "They do matter. To me, at least."

"Whoa," I said in a shocked whisper. "Is Draco Malfoy being… sincere?"

He chuckled. "Ha ha, very funny," He paused for a moment. "But yes, I am being very, very sincere. It's a strange feeling."

"I bet," I snickered. This was nice, being able to just sit here and talk to him like this. There was no snapping, no hostility; just two people sitting together having a friendly conversation. Except that one of these people was developing a huge crush on the other.

"Do you want something to drink?" He asked abruptly.

"Um, sure. Tea, please," I said.

"I'll be right back," I heard his chair screech across the floor as he hurried to get up. I frowned, but didn't say or do anything. I sat and waited for him to return. While I waited, I found a stray thread on my dress and began to fidget with it, twisting it and eventually, tearing it off. I sighed and tossed it to the floor. I put my head down on the table and closed my eyes. I couldn't really tell how long Draco was taking, but it seemed like forever.

"Sorry it took so long," Draco's voice said, making me jump. "Long line."

"Of course," He placed the cup of tea in my hand and I took a sip. It had a cinnamon taste to it, which didn't surprise me. I coughed a little and set it down.

"Would it surprise you if I told you the person that owned this place is named Madam Spice?"

I choked on my laughter. "No, it wouldn't actually."

He laughed. It was a nice sound, so much better than his chuckles or snorts of amusement. It kind of fit him, or at least, it fit the boy that I imagined in my head.

"Ready to go? The others will have already made it to the Hogs Head by now."

I nodded and stood. He quickly walked around and took my arm again. As we walked, his hand slid down into mine. I entwined my fingers with his and smiled to myself. My day couldn't get any better.


	6. Chapter VI

**Chapter VI**

When we reached the Hogs Head, it was extremely quiet. I kind of expected this, seeing as how everyone usually went to the Three Broomsticks. It was cleaner; this place was very old, and very filthy... and I could tell because there was an old, musty scent to the air that had my nose crinkling in distaste. I almost preferred the overwhelming smell of cinnamon.

Draco continued to hold my hand, even as we sat down at the table our group was apparently sitting at. "Why the Hogs Head?"

I was truly curious about this. It was not a common hang out for Hogwarts students, unless they were up to something and thought a quiet, mostly unpopulated place would be the best for plotting.

"It's quiet," Said the male voice I had heard earlier. "I can actually hear myself think in here. Hey, Pansy, would you mind getting us all a Butterbeer?"

I heard the annoyed and amused scoff somewhere to my right. "You are so funny, Nott," she said.

"And you are so lazy," he mused. I heard the soft ruffle of clothing as he crossed his arms over his chest. Draco chuckled beside me. I frowned, not liking it after hearing a genuine laugh from him back at Firestone.

"Why do you want to send me?"

"Because you are so annoying, it fills me with happiness as I watch you walk away. Regretfully you won't disappear, but a brief moment of Pansy-free time would make my day."

Someone laughed. "Shut up, Theodore," Pansy snapped angrily, though there was no conviction behind it. I still remembered this morning, and her snarky comment when I had fallen back onto the sofa when I had first woken up. I had said something similar to what she had just snapped to Theodore, a Slytherin boy I barely knew, now that I recognized his name. _Shut up, Parkinson. _I wished I could have said more.

"Right, Darcyn?"

There was an expectant silence after I heard my name. "What?"

Someone sighed from really close. "She was asking about Pansy's expertise at being a pest," Draco's voice informed me. I nodded, still not fully getting what I was being asked.

"I said that Pansy doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut. And blah blah blah, and I was asking for you opinion." I could practically visualize Astoria rolling her eyes at my simple-mindedness. I shrugged. Why did she want my opinion? Why had I suddenly been included into a conversation I had never paid any attention to?

"Where is Pansy?" I asked, avoiding the question.

"Finally convinced her to get us all some drinks, don't know if she will, or if she just decided to leave," Theodore chuckled happily. He obviously did not like her. I thought it odd that Slytherins will associate purely on status, popularity or blood wise, and not on character. "So what do you think of her?"

I liked how Theodore rephrased the question. I pursed my lips in consideration. "Well, I think that she's annoying, and given the choice," I grimaced. "I would be nowhere's near her."

Theodore clapped loudly and got rudely shushed by the bartender. Theodore shushed him back and everyone laughed. I only smiled half-heartedly. I didn't find that funny at all. I would have before. I felt Draco's hand around mine tighten slightly, as though he were empathizing with me, but without words so we would go unquestioned. I squeezed his hand back.

"I'm bored!" Astoria moaned in a whiny voice.

"Then go to Honeydukes or something," Said a female voice. I recognized it, but I couldn't put a name to it.

"Come with me Daphne?" Astoria whined to her older sister. I could picture Astoria jutting her bottom lip out and widening her eyes. The puppy dog face worked on a lot of people, except for me. Ah, blind jokes. So funny.

"No," Daphne said irritably. "I have things I need to do after we're done her, and you are so picky when it comes to food. I do _not _want to be stuck in a candy store with you for the next three hours."

Astoria made an angry sound and pushed herself away from the table, her chair screeching against the floor. Dust was kicked up and I wrinkled my nose again. I could feel my eyes starting to water. "This place is too dirty for me," I said, standing as well. As I stood, Draco's hand came free of mine, but he stood, too. I felt his arm around mine as we walked away.

"Damn," I heard Theodore mutter. "No one likes us."

"You mean, no one likes you," Daphne snorted, her chair screeching against the filthy floor. "I know I'm liked. You... you're gross."

I smiled at their banter. It was easy going, not meant to actually be taken seriously. But another thought came to mind, one I had meant to say aloud to Draco, but had gotten sidetracked by the sudden arguement between Daphne and Theodore.

"You know," I began as we walked out into the chilly late-afternoon air. "You are really committed to this guide thing."

"You insult me," He said with a smile in his voice. "I can be chivalrous."

"Rarely," I grinned, pushing him lightly so I wouldn't stumble in the process. He snorted and I had a sudden pang of sadness. I wanted to see, so bad. I wished beyond any hope that one day I would open my eyes and see the world for myself. I didn't want to have to imagine the blue of the sky, or try to picture someone's actions. I wanted to see it all for myself. I wanted to see _him _for myself.

"What's wrong, Darcyn?"

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"You are a rotten liar," He repeated his earlier statement. "I hope you know that."

"You've pointed that out," I quipped. "I think I get it."

"Do you?" He asked. He stopped walking, pulling me to a stop. He ushered me into a very cramped space. My back pressed up against a brick wall. My heart raced, and I longed again for the ability to see him. I felt his arms on either side of me, keeping me from trying to leave. Like I would have been able to; I was completely and utterly immobilized.

"Do you get it?" He repeated. I didn't want to speak, afraid of what my voice might sound like. I nodded, a short jerky movement that probably made me look unsure. I didn't care. My brain was muddied, I couldn't think straight. Draco was too close to me for that to even be a possibility.

"Then why won't you tell me? Give me some insight into what you're thinking?" He whispered, his breath warm against my face. A shiver ran down my spine. I didn't know why I didn't tell him. In retrospect, I probably should have. If I liked him, and boy did I ever, it would be smart to get closer to him. To tell him about me. If I ever hoped for him to return my feelings, he had to be allowed certain things.

I shook my head finally. "I-I don't..." Why was speaking so hard for me? "I don't..."

Draco waited, whether impatiently or not, I didn't know. He was silent as he let me stew, let me think about what I was going to say. I shook my head again. "I don't know," I whispered, my voice barely audible, even to me. Draco sighed, obviously having heard what I had said. I could hear his heart beating, only faintly, but it was fast; racing like mine was. But for what?

"Darcyn..." He trailed off, as though he were having trouble finding the right words. Draco? Struggling with words? Impossible. "I... don't know how to tell you..**.** It's hard for me to..."

I held my breath. What was he trying to say to me? Why wouldn't he just get it over with?

Deciding to rephrase what he had been about to say, he spoke again. "I do really care for you, and not being able to... know what you're thinking... what you're feeling... well, it frustrates me. And I-" He cut off and I heard his fist hit the wall behind me. I flinched, but I don't think he even noticed. "I wish you would tell me. I _want _you to be able to tell me."

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, my voice weak and breathy. I felt really stupid after saying that, but I was no longer in control of what I said. He didn't finish speaking. Instead, I could suddenly feel his body against mine. I didn't mind, but it made it very difficult for me to breathe again, for me to realize what was happening. He grabbed my chin gently and tilted my face up. Before I could react to what I knew was happening, he had pressed his lips to mine.


	7. Chapter VII

**Chapter VII**

I don't know why I didn't just move away. Or push him back against the other wall that was surely close by. My brain had fully melted, and I couldn't think for myself. Yeah, that was it. I couldn't think for myself. It was a given though. I had dreamed of him kissing me in this way, in the most unplatonic way possible. It was obvious that I liked him, but how in the world could he like someone like me?

My hands fisted against his chest as I fought with myself. I wanted to continue what was happening. It could turn into something amazing. But what if, in the long run, I got myself hurt? This was a very precarious situation and I was hanging by my fingernails. Basically a live or die scenario. Just as I was trying to work up the courage and will to push him away, he pulled back. His arms went slack around me, as though he was just realizing what he had done. He stepped back, as far as he was able. I knew because the instant his body wasn't touching mine, I was cold. I hadn't been cold all day.

"I'm sorry," He murmured. "I-"

"It's okay," I cleared my throat and shook my head. I felt like crying. "I understand."

"All right," He said, his voice different.

"Um, would it be okay if I went to common room by myself? I think I know the way, by now."

He was silent for a moment, but soon he spoke. "I guess."

I didn't wait. I ran as quickly as I could from that little opening. I really had no idea where I was going, but I didn't care, not one bit. I just wanted to curl up in a ball, or under a rock where no one would be able to find me. I liked the idea of curling up under a rock. I kept running, not towards the school, but towards my favorite place to be. It seemed silly, to go to such a predictable place, but that's where I could think better. I collapsed at the base of the tree, my whole body shaking, but not from the cold. I could still feel the sting of rejection. I had never felt this before. I didn't want to feel it again.

I really liked him. He seemed different at the little tea shop. He really had seemed like he wasn't like every other brainwashed pure-blood witch or wizard. He had a genuine laugh, and everything he said seemed like he felt the same way about me. It had seemed that way. And then we kissed, and I loved it, and I shouldn't have. And I got my hopes up, and he crushed them, just like I had anticipated. Just like I had feared.

"Darcyn, why do you have to be so stupid?" I groaned aloud. I slammed my fist again the ground, again and again, until it began to throb steadily. It distracted me against what I was feeling, and I needed that. I hit the ground again and then fell back against the tree, breathing heavily. "So, so, stupid."

I rubbed my fist, but though it hurt, it wasn't bleeding or anything. I probably broke something, but I didn't care, not really. I sighed and closed my eyes. I was starting to feel the bite of the chill against my skin. Astoria probably hadn't anticipated me leaving Draco so early. I grimaced, feeling again the pain of his rejection. And why had he rejected me? I didn't feel like I wasn't good enough, though I knew I wasn't entirely up to par either. I didn't want to believe that he just realized that I wasn't good enough for him. I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair, tugging at it. I winced and sighed again. Why was physical pain so distracting... so appealing?

I stood, deciding it was best to head back to the school so Madam Pomfrey could look at my hand. Astoria couldn't know about Draco and I, and though it hurt to know I would be keeping something important from my only friend at Hogwarts, I had to have it that way, or she would constantly try and make me believe it was nothing and maybe Draco was just confused. And maybe, I would believe it, hoping beyond what was probably actually true that he just didn't know what to do about his feelings. Thinking such things would be silly, of course. Why would Draco have to be confused? Why would he need to hide how he felt, if he didn't know how to convey it. If he was one of those kinds of boys, kind of like Blaise, who only used girls for things like sex, why didn't he just say so? He could obviously have whoever he wanted in the entire school, probably of both male and female if he so desired. So why me? Why did he choose to be indecisive with me? I shook my head, trying to clear it. I didn't need this.

As I walked, I made a resolve to ignore Draco like my life depended on it. If it killed me, I would never talk to him again, and I would cast all feelings for him aside. If he didn't like me, then that was perfectly okay. I was perfectly able to be by myself. My hand throbbed, breaking through my concentration, obviously proving I didn't take things well. I rubbed my arms and shivered, grateful for the school suddenly, because even though it wasn't warm, it broke the wind so it didn't feel as cold. I walked up the stairs and down the hall I knew was the Hospital Wing; I should know, I had been there enough to know my way there with my eyes closed. I snorted and entered the only room in Hogwarts that actually felt warm.

"What happened now, Miss Valentine?" Asked Madam Pomfrey's stern but gentle voice.

I held up my crippled hand. "The floor attacked my hand."

She chuckled and directed me to sit on a nearby cot. "Sometimes you students amuse me with your excuses."

"What excuse? I'm serious." I smiled as I sat down and she began to work on my hand. She just mumbled under her breath words I didn't bother to pay any attention to. I had problems of my own to deal with.

"Okay, now, try to refrain from making the floor want to attack you," Madam Pomfrey said, sarcasm layering her voice, though she wasn't rude with it. I rolled my eyes and slid off the cot.

"Thank you," I said and walked away.


	8. Chapter VIII

**Chapter VIII: DPOV**

It had been a week since he had kissed Darcyn. Draco didn't know exactly why he had done it, but he knew he had been stupid to think that she would accept him like that. He just assumed she was like every other girl, when he knew she wasn't. He threw his arm over his head in exasperation, tired of staring at the canopy of his bed.

"Hey, Draco, are you coming down for dinner?" Draco turned his direction to see Blaise walking from the restroom in their dorm. Draco shrugged and sat up, pushing his hair out of his face. He hadn't bothered to keep it slicked back as he had back in his former years. He hadn't bothered to cut it much either. It fell back into his eyes and he sighed.

"Maybe a certain dark-haired Slytherin will be there," He taunted with a knowing smirk. Draco glared at him and stood, smoothing out his shirt.

"Satan-spawn," Draco snorted as he pushed past Blaise.

"You flatter me," He chuckled as he followed Draco to the Great Hall.

Draco ignored his comment and let his thoughts wander back to Darcyn. She was rarely seen anymore. He had asked Astoria where she could be, but she hadn't been in the dorms as far as she knew.

"_I honestly don't know, Draco. I haven't really seen her since the Hogsmeade trip. She'll be in her bed at night, but in the morning, she's gone again, not giving anyone the chance to talk to her. She's locked herself away. What did you do?"_

He found it sad that she would automatically jump to the conclusion that he had been the one to make her ignore everyone. She had even started skipping classes, which wasn't like Darcyn at all. If Draco was honest with himself, he was worried about Darcyn, and he wanted to talk to her again, he wanted to see her, make sure she was okay.

"Hey, look who," Blaise gestured to the end of the Slytherin table. Darcyn sat staring at her folded hands, though she obviously wasn't purposefully staring. She was deep in thought, ignoring Astoria's attempts to get her to talk. Her mouth was a thin line of annoyance. Draco frowned when he saw that her arm was bandaged.

"I wouldn't bother with it mate. If she's mad at you, and Astoria isn't able to convince her, then it would be pointless for you to try."

Draco figured Blaise was right, though he didn't want to admit it. He knew that Darcyn was upset with him, he had left her, rejected her in the bluntest of fashions when he had been the one to start it. To her it seemed as though he didn't care. Draco sighed and sat down, watching her from the corner of his eyes.

**D.V.-POV**

I kept staring down at the table, annoyed by Astoria's attempts to cheer me up. Yeah, she was my friend, and yeah, maybe I was being a little dramatic, but I wanted to cope however I wanted, and she was certainly not helping.

"-and you need to realize that just because you're upset over something you can't just mope around."

I looked up and glared at her as best I could. "You have no idea what you're talking about. And I'm not moping, for your information, Astoria," I snapped. "And because I just know that you're going to ask, it's none of your business."

She groaned under her breath. "Damn it, Darcyn, why won't you just tell me?"

I winced. She sounded a lot like how Draco had, wanting to know my thoughts. I frowned at her. "I will tell you when I'm ready. Respect that."

I listened closely, and bit back the urge to sigh in relief when she left. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts, was that so much to ask?


	9. Chapter IX

**Chapter IX:**

I knew I shouldn't. It wasn't entirely like me. The sun was just barely rising when I reached the lake, and I knew this because it was still fairly chilly as I sat down. The girls were still sleeping in the dorm, and I had, yet again, snuck out without them noticing me. I had begun to skip my classes, and I knew I shouldn't. I was in my seventh year, if I passed, this would be it for me. No more torture, no more tests, no more nagging teachers…

_No more Draco…_

I sighed and opened to a random page in my book, and slid my fingers across the page, mumbling the words to myself. Though I was pure-blood, I owned many muggle romance books. They were endearing to me, and I had read them many times.

"_The rain poured from the sky, and I couldn't help but compare it to my tears. It sounded so cliché, and so dramatic, but I felt like I had been crying for years though it had only been a few months since the incident. Never able to stop the sadness that coursed through me at every waking moment…"_

"Darcyn,"

I pretended not to hear the person calling my name and kept reading to myself.

"_I could hear someone calling for me, though I ignored them. I didn't want to human interaction at the moment. I needed to be alone with my thoughts…"_

"Darcyn, I know you hear me." Draco said from right beside me.

"'_Why do you hate me?' the voice asked. I turned my gaze in his direction, meeting sad brown eyes. 'I don't hate you.' I didn't entirely know if what I said was true. I loved him, more than I thought I was capable. And when I thought I could express my feelings, I found that I couldn't. 'I don't hate you.'"_

"Darcyn, please, hear me out," Draco pleaded. I felt his hand on my shoulder, and I flinched away from him. He immediately retracted his hand and sighed.

"You have nothing I need to hear, Malfoy," I quipped, giving him the common courtesy.

"I've been dying to talk to you for weeks, but every time I think you'll be somewhere, you aren't! I've been beating myself up wondering where you are, if you're okay-"

"I'm perfectly fine," I clenched my fists angrily and snapped my book shut. "You don't need to worry."

"Why do you hate me?"

I snorted and crossed my arms over my chest. The leaves crunched under his shifting weight as he moved in front of me. I leaned against the tree, clearing space between us, increasing the distance.

"I don't hate you," I rolled my eyes. "But you're extremely frustrating and I don't want to have anything else to do with you."

"Darcyn-"

"We are no longer on a first name basis, Malfoy. And I'm serious, whether or not you want it to be true. Do not talk to me or try to have contact with me whatsoever. I'm sorry." I stood, and he didn't make a move to stop my retreat. I walked quickly back towards the castle, wiping my eyes. If I could see, I would have had to stop walking because of the tears that would have blurred my vision. But the only thing the tears did now was make it difficult to breathe. I ducked into a random hallway, fell to the floor, and let out all the pain and anger I had been feeling since that day. I knew, had always known, he would try to convince me, when Astoria couldn't.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, pressing my forehead against the cool stone, trying to control my sobs. I was too loud in the deserted corridor. What if someone was up early and found me? I took deep breaths through my teeth, trying to calm down. I wiped my face with my hands and pulled my hair away from my face. I took another deep, shuddering breath, and slowly let it out. I stood from the ground, brushing dust off of my robes and leaned against the wall, not yet ready to go back to the common rooms. I needed to stop skipping classes. I had finally confronted Draco about what had happened and had told him how I felt, and now all he had to do was respect that. If he respected me, he would listen and never try and talk to me again.

It was final. I would go to classes again, continue ignoring Draco, and become myself again. Act like nothing had ever happened, because in everyone else's mind, nothing really had happened. All they knew was that I had all but disappeared from the face of the Earth. I smiled to myself as I started down the hall. Everything would go back to normal.


	10. Chapter X

**Chapter X**

It was becoming irritating to listen to Professor Binns teach. At first, I hadn't minded his class. After all, what was more interesting than learning about a war? I sighed inaudibly and ran my fingers across the pages in my book, ignoring the ghostly professor. Astoria snored quietly from beside me. I had kept good with my promise to be in all of my classes, and only ignore _him. _

I mean, it really wasn't as difficult as I thought it would have been. He stayed perfectly out of my way, acting as though that weekend had never even happened, and I liked that perfectly well. He was brilliant at acting as though I were nothing more to him than the dirt beneath his shoe. Not worth notice. And though my heart wanted to shatter into a million irreparable pieces, I was happy that he was respecting the fact that I wanted to be left alone.

Astoria snorted from beside me, her arms flailing for a short second and causing her textbooks to fly to the floor. The loud thud made her sit up with a squeak. Professor Binns continued with his droning lecture as though nothing had happened.

I snickered and turned the page in my book. "That's a sign you shouldn't be sleeping in class."

She huffed irritably and walked around the table to grab her things. "This doesn't technically count as a class if I don't learn anything, Darcyn."

I rolled my eyes and scribbled down a few notes onto my paper that I would have Astoria read to me later on.

"Now," Binns said in his boring, monotone voice. "For homework… you will be writing an essay on the First Wizarding War. You need to present five facts, and explain in detail why it has technically not ended. Class dismissed."

Everyone gathered their belongings and ambled out of the classroom. There were some students who were still trying to wake their friends up. "Did you even get anything he was saying?" I asked Astoria as we headed towards the lake for our free period.

"No," she said guiltily. "But I didn't sleep at all last night!"

I snorted. "Gee, wonder why…"

"I know you don't want to hear about him—"

"Stop it, I don't wanna hear it! Don't you even dare—"

"But he was who I was with. I know how you felt about him, and trust me Darcyn I am sorry, but ohmygosh! He's simply sinful."

I rolled my eyes for what seemed like the bazillionth time. "Honestly, I don't have any feelings for him except loathing. I don't care what you do with Malfoy."

But, in all honesty, I kind of did. Astoria did know that I liked, or had liked, Draco, but she didn't know the entirety of my feelings, or even the basics of my situation with him. I did care about what she did with him, but I couldn't let her know that but, because I knew she was developing a crush; a crush that seemed on the verge of obsession.

"Okay, but are you sure—"

"Positive." I quipped, just wanting to end this conversation entirely. I walked up onto the dock, slowly sitting down on the edge so I wouldn't fall in. I kicked off my shoes and put my feet in the cool water. I splashed it around, closing my eyes and listening to the sound. Astoria was quiet, probably watching me. She at least knew when to stop talking, for which I was grateful.

"Astoria!" I sighed but kept my eyes closed as Pansy ran up to where Astoria and I sat.

"What, Pansy?" She asked, her voice only slightly annoyed. Pansy gasped, trying to catch her breath before she started talking.

"You know the Hallow'een Ball was changed for the day of Hallow'een. The teachers had been considering doing the Ball before so that it would be easier and that way everything would be cleaned up before classes again, but McGonagall convinced Snape to let it be on the thirty-first!"

Astoria squeaked. "Oh, that's great! Did you hear that, Darcy?"

I opened my eyes, but didn't turn. "Obviously, I did. But it doesn't matter, because I'm not going."

"Just as well," Pansy sneered, turning her attention back to Astoria. "Anyway-"

"But why? You used to go before!" Astoria whined, completely ignoring Pansy. Parskinson huffed irritably and started tapping her foot.

"Besides the obvious reason, I just don't feel like going. Just leave it alone."

"Why don't you go with Blaise?" Pansy suggested in a musing tone. "He talks a lot about you. Though-"

"Shut up, Parkinson, no one needed your dimwitted input," I snapped and stood, pulling on my shoes. "I'm not going, and don't try and convince me Astoria!"

* * *

><p>"Please, please, please!"<p>

"NO!" I shouted, covering my ears. I was currently laying on my bed in the girls' dorm, firmly regretting my decision to ever set foot in the place when I knew Astoria would be able to annoy me. She huffed and started jumping up and down on my bed.

"What will it take for me to get you to go?"

"Nothing, because I'm not going!"

"Come on, Pansy already told Blaise you wanted to go, so don't let him down! Please, we need to find you a dress for tomorrow!"

"She _what_?" I sat up, my eyes widening with horror.

She snickered. "I told her to tell him, and now he's excited to go. Please, just go to the Ball with him! I promise you won't regret it!"

I sighed and rubbed my temples, trying to push back the migrane that was beginning to form. "Why do you want me to go so badly?"

"Because you never get out, you never mingle unless you're at one of your parents parties and have to keep up appearances. You need to do things yourself and get some kind of human interaction."

I was about to clarify that I was interacting with humans when I talked to her and my professors, but she cut me off. "And the teachers and I don't count, smart-alleck." She said dully.

I rolled my eyes and stood. "Okay, kill me."

She squealed with happiness and dragged me from the dorms. "Just trust me on this Darcyn. He'll be falling at your feet when I'm done with you."

"Oh joy..."


	11. Chapter XI

**Hey guys! Another update, which I am very proud of, because it is my longest yet! Anyways, a warning goes out because this chapter involves a little bit of indecency, but I don't think it can be labeled as M. Also, I portrayed Blaise as the bad guy because he just seems like it to me. *shrugs***

**Thanks a million to my awesome reviewers! Some of these acknowledgements are past reviews, but are well deserved: xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Crane's Shadow, lilly321, SolitaryNyght, wHaT's In A pEn-NaMe, and xPoisonedBlueRose13x**

**You guys are amazing! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to tell me how I did, and what I could fix, it would be much appreciated. ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XI<strong>

Astoria had dragged me into Hogsmeade yesterday, scouring the place for the perfect Hallow'een costume that would suite me for the Ball. She wanted me in a dress, but not some typical fairytale girl outfit. She me to be spectacular, obviously, because anything less would be horrifying to Astoria. Instead of making me an actual character from muggle fairytales, she made me to look like I was my own kind of royalty. She at least had the kindness to tell me what I looked like when I was finished.

Apparently, she had dressed me in a white satin dress that hugged my body, and according to her, made me look _beautiful. _I couldn't easily fathom the word. She had pulled my hair back and braided it, then wrapped it around into a bun. She had put a tiara on my head and then threatened my when I tried to take it off.

"You don't need much make-up," She mused, dabbing my lips with lip gloss. "But you need a little something."

She fixed my dress and smoothed my hair, making sure the tiara was still in place. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest. The dress didn't have any sleeves at all. It was one of those dresses that needed to cling to you, or else it would fall. Astoria told me I had the perfect figure for a dress like this.

"Stop fidgeting… you look amazing. He'll be on his knees the seconds he sees you, and if he isn't, I'll make him." She laughed happily. I rolled my eyes but didn't say anything. It would probably earn me a slap to the head.

"Am I done yet?" I muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear me.

"Hmm, yeah, you are! Okay, now, let's go Cinderella; we mustn't keep Prince Charming waiting."

She urged me down the stairs towards the Slytherin common room, and suddenly, I found myself panicking. Even if I did want to go to this Ball, which I didn't, would I make a fool of myself? I can't look as great as Astoria says I look. And what if he doesn't like how I look? I didn't think I cared what Blaise Zabini thought of me, but suddenly, at the moment, I very much did.

"Darcyn, you look amazing," Blaise's smooth, haughty voice said a few feet away. I felt his arm snake around my waist and I repressed a shudder. "As you always do."

I attempted a smile. "Thank you."

As he pulled me away, I felt Astoria's hand brush my arm. Encouragement. I took a deep breath and stood straighter, trying to exude confidence, though what I really felt like doing was curling up under a rock.

"I'm very glad that you decided to come, Darcyn," He said, attempting idle conversation. I nodded meekly.

"Well, Astoria kind of forced me. And Pansy has a very big mouth…"

"So I've heard," He chuckled. I felt my body tense, though I didn't entirely know why. Maybe it was what he said, but if there was a meaning behind his words, my conscious mind didn't entirely get it. He sighed, obviously frustrated. "Darcyn, I know you're a little on edge about what happened a while ago—"

"A little!" I gasped angrily.

"But, I was unhinged, you could say. I drink, and I was out of my senses. I am truly sorry for what happened, and I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."

I frowned in consideration. I certainly did not believe a single word that came from his mouth, but obviously he was attempting an apology, no matter how half-hearted. I sighed and rubbed my arms. It was slightly chilly in the castle. "I guess I forgive you, though, I don't entirely understand why. You don't have to explain," I said before he could try and explain. "Honestly, I don't want the details. But, all the same." I shrugged.

His arm tightened around my waist and we entered the Great Hall. The music pulsed around us, strangely compelling. But, it was Hallow'een, and anything less than haunting and compelling just wouldn't do. Blaise dropped his arm and took my hands, pulling me into the crowd. I felt his body against mine and my breath hitched. The heat of everyone else's bodies was suddenly very suffocating.

"Relax," He said, his lips at my ear.

I swallowed hard. "I don't know how to dance."

"You don't have to know," he chuckled. He pulled me a little closer. "Just follow my lead, and you'll get the hang of it."

And, surprisingly enough, I did. I found that I liked dancing very much, and Blaise seemed to make it both easy and difficult. He was very fond of using his hands, and I assumed that was how most people my age danced, and I went along with it, but I didn't care for it. He spun me around in a short twirl and then pulled me back close to his body. I let out a shocked and semi-exhilarated gasp. The music began to slow, and Blaise pulled me away from the large crowd of people. He took my hand and placed a cup in it. I took a small sip, testing it, and then drank a little more when I realized it was just pumpkin juice.

"So, are you having fun?" He asked, his voice light and amused. He was teasing me.

I considered that. He was actually being civil, despite how we had just been dancing. He had directed me properly, not leading me anywhere. He had actually been kind to me, which hadn't been the normal ever since the library incident.

"I am, strangely enough." I smiled and took another sip of pumpkin juice. He chuckled and put his arm around my shoulders. I found that I didn't tense, but actually relaxed against him. It was a strange feeling, that he could suddenly seem so much like a good guy when he had so recently been the bad guy.

* * *

><p><strong>DPOV:<strong>

Draco leaned against the wall, his eyes concerned, though his mouth was set in a thin, angry line. Pansy stood beside him, her arms crossed over her chest in annoyance. If she wasn't so whiny and needy, Draco thought she would be more appealing. She wore a tight fitted green dress, and her make-up was very light, and almost complimented her pale, girly features, but it didn't suit her personality. Draco's eyes searched the room, looking for one person in particular.

Darcyn stood with Blaise at the concession table. His arm was thrown carelessly over her shoulders, and she was smiling. He was looking down at her, a bittersweet emotion in his dark eyes. Draco didn't entirely notice this as much as he noticed Darcyn. He thought she was simply beautiful. She was wearing a white satin dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her hair dark hair had been pulled back and braided into an elegant bun. A small curl of hair had come unwound, and seemed to perfect her even more. She wore no make-up, which complimented her unblemished complexion. A tiara sat on top of her head, completing her look. She looked like royalty.

"Hello, Earth to Draco," Pansy waved her hand in front of Draco's face. He blinked and turned to look at her. "Are we going to dance or are you just going to stare at people all night?"

Draco shrugged and she pulled him onto the middle of the dance floor. He didn't make an effort to dance, just swayed a little to the music. Pansy barely noticed, elated that he had finally noticed her attempts to get his attention. Draco's eyes traveled back to where Blaise and Darcyn had just been standing, and realized with a shock that she was no longer standing there. His eyes searched the room in a frenzy, examining every corner. But when she was no where to be found, Draco put his hands on Pansy's shoulders and spun her around.

"Will you wait for me? I just remembered I forgot something for you in my room," He lied perfectly. Her eyes glittered in happiness, not realizing the lie. She nodded and watched him leave. He ran from the Great Hall, his eyes scanning every corridor. He knew that wherever Darcyn had gone with Blaise, it wasn't good. He ran up the stairs, assuming that to be the first place Blaise would have dragged her off if she had gone with him willingly. Draco was worrying himself to death, praying that Blaise wasn't hurting her. But he knew his roommate, and he knew that when Blaise Zabini didn't get what he wanted the first time, he would get it by force as soon as he could. And he wanted Darcyn, and this was his chance.

An added bonus that Darcyn had instructed Draco to ignore her completely.

* * *

><p><strong>DVPOV:<strong>

Blaise's hand was tight around mine, but not uncomfortably so. He pulled me up the stairs, keeping his pace slow so he wouldn't trip me. I didn't entirely know why I had agreed to go with him. It wasn't really in my best interest, considering the fact that I was only just now beginning to like him, but curiosity won out. So I went with him. Sooner or later though, we stopped walking, and I suddenly felt his body very close to mine. I had no idea where we were, the path he had taken was not familiar to me.

"Blaise?"

I felt his lips against mine, not too harsh, but not soft either. If I hadn't been so surprised, I would have been able to pull away from him. But his arms trapped me in a vise. I knew this was very bad, but there was a cloud fogging up my thoughts. I leaned into him, letting myself feel, closing my eyes. He was a pretty good kisser, though he could never compare to _him. _I felt his hands travel down my back to the zipper on my dress. As he started to pull it down, my thoughts came back to me. I gasped and tried to pull away from him.

"Stop, we aren't doing that," I said, my voice weak. This was hard for me to say those words. Why was it so difficult?

He didn't say anything, but began an assualt on my neck. He grabbed my hair, effectively pulling it out of its bun. He pulled my head back. I pushed against him, struggling mentally and physically to shake him off. I didn't want this but somehow, my body and brain said I did. But I knew it was wrong. This was Blaise, for crying out loud! I belonged to someone else. I couldn't do this. I didn't want this.

"Stop it, Blaise!" I said, my voice a little stronger. He grunted and shoved me against the wall. My head reeled, and I stopped fighting for a moment to get my bearings. But at that moment, he had my dress off. I couldn't try and make the move I had in the library, by kneeing him in a place that would hurt him the most. I started struggling against him again, using every ounce of strength that I had in me, but it just wasn't working.

I had forgotten how strong he was.

He twisted me around and pushed me against the floor, pinning my arms above my head with one hand. I was crying now, because I knew what was going to happen. I knew, from the beginning, that if I went that I would regret ever going. But I went to make a friend happy. And now I was paying the price. I felt his lips at my ear. "This won't be pleasant, but then again, when is revenge ever pleasant?"

Pain exploded throughout my lower-body. I had never felt it like this before, and I cried out. He put his free hand over my mouth, muffling my agonized cries. His mouth was on my neck again, and it wasn't as pleasant as before. I couldn't handle this; I was beginning to go unconcious. A sharp sting across my face instantly brought me back to the pain.

"You won't take the easy way out, Valentine. You were asking for this the day you denied me in the library. It could have been easy then, but I won't be gentle with you now." He grunted.

"Stop, please, please stop," I cried against his hand. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.

* * *

><p><strong>DPOV:<strong>

A distant scream sent Draco in the direction of the Astronomy Tower. He ran as fast as he could, finally glad that Quidditch had helped him with something. He jogged up the stairs, taking two at a time, using the rail to propel himself forward. He burst into the room, and nearly fell over. Darcyn lay, naked and bleeding, on the floor. Her eyes were closed, but her lips were moving as though she were speaking quietly to herself. Draco walked forward slowly, hoping he wouldn't startle her.

_"I'm just a poor little blind girl, worth less than the dirt beneath their shoes. Successions of endless days take me down, down to the ground, where I thrive, as a poor little blind girl."_

Her voice was weak and breathy, though there was a musical quality to what she spoke. "Darcyn?"

Her fingers twitched and her eyes fluttered open. "Draco?"

He rushed forward, moving her dress in a better position to cover her body. "I'm sorry," he murmured and then thrust his arms beneath her. Her jaw clenched, but she didn't make a sound. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her lips together in a thin line. He hurried down the halls in the direction of the Hospital Wing. He had the strong sense of deja vu, and he knew exactly why. He had carried her in this same way to the same place, though under different circumstances, both had still been life threatning.

"You're going to be okay, Darcyn," He murmured quietly, more to himself then to her. Her eyes opened and she looked at him, directly in his eyes, though she didn't know she was doing so. But she knew exactly where to look at him. She always had. The pain had lessened ever since he had touched her, and she felt like she could sleep again. She hadn't stayed under for long before he had come for her.

"Thank you," she whispered, and her eyes closed. A single tear rolled down her cheek as he handed her off to Madam Pomfrey.


	12. Chapter XII

**Chapter XII**

Light streamed in through the high windows, signaling that it was morning. It had been a depressing Saturday morning. When Madam Pomfrey had finished with Darcyn, Draco had left to find Astoria. Blaise had been nowhere in sight, and hadn't been seen since the Ball. Draco was fuming when he had heard this from Astoria.

"Yeah, Theo said he didn't come back to the dorm last night," she said as they walked towards the Hospital Wing. "He said he hadn't seen him this morning, either."

When they reached the Hospital Wing, Astoria rushed to the cot where Darcyn lay, fast asleep. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and her face was calm. Draco stood a few feet away, wondering what had been going through her mind last night. She knew that Blaise was bad news, she had known it, and yet, she had still gone out with him. She even followed him away from the supervision of those who would help her if something went wrong. Draco rubbed his temples in frustration, his anger peaking again as he thought about Blaise. He hadn't known that his old friend had been serious about taking Darcyn to the Hallow'een Ball. Draco had thought that he had just been saying it to piss him off. Yes, it had definitely worked, but he hadn't taken Blaise seriously.

"Do you think she'll be waking up anytime soon?" Astoria turned to look at Draco. He shrugged.

She sighed. "Well, I promised Pansy I would meet her at Hogsmeade this weekend, so if she wakes up, find someone to tell me straight away."

"Of course," Draco said. "And Astoria, if you see Blaise at all today, tell him he's dead."

"Will do," She gave him a small smile and waved as she walked away. Draco slowly moved back towards Darcyn's bed. He snorted and shook his head as he thought about Astoria. She was a lot like her sister, quick and indecisive. A few days after the night they had spent together, she had found him and told him that she was confused. She had told him about the conversation she and Darcyn had had a while back, and that she didn't want to upset her and lose her friend because they liked the same person.

That had been what motivated Draco to find Darcyn that day and try and talk some sense into her. Obviously, it hadn't worked.

Draco sat down beside Darcyn, took her hand, and leaned his head against the edge of the cot. What was he going to say when she woke up? He didn't want to ask what happened, because he knew what had happened; he had been the one to find her. Would he ask who did it? It would make sense, to get that confirmation from her. But would she speak against Blaise? Darcyn didn't seem like the kind of person that would speak against someone, even though they did wrong to her.

Draco sat up suddenly, watching her face. Her hand twitched again, and her eyelids fluttered open slowly. Her eyes reeled for a second, searching frantically, and as she tried to sit up, she moaned in pain.

"Darcyn?"

She blinked and turned her sightless eyes to him. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Hospital Wing. I found you last night, and I brought you here, and Madam Pomfrey fixed you up. She said you had to stay here for a few weeks, just to make sure everything was okay."

Darcyn turned her head to stare at the roof. Her eyes were unreadable, but her expression spoke legions. "How did you find me?" She whispered.

"I was keeping an eye on you, making sure you were okay, and when I saw you weren't there, I panicked and searched for you. I heard you scream."

Her bottom lip quivered and she squeezed her eyes shut. She was obviously trying hard not to cry. Draco stayed silent, waiting for her to compose herself before he asked.

"Who did this to you?"

* * *

><p><strong>DVPOV:<strong>

"Who did this to you?"

I could tell him, and I knew I should. _Blaise did it, Draco! _My mind screamed, but I didn't voice the words. I bit my lip and shook my head. I couldn't tell him. What Blaise had done was wrong, extremely wrong, but I couldn't speak against him. I wouldn't. If I did, he might attempt to take a more drastic level of revenge. I shuddered involuntarily.

I could feel Draco's hand around mine, and I couldn't help but take comfort in the fact that he was touching me. I was so far gone. I didn't know how I was still standing, figuratively speaking of course. I opened my eyes and blinked back tears. "I'm sorry," I whispered, not trusting my voice whatsoever, so I kept it low.

"_You _don't have to be sorry. _He _should be. And trust me Darcyn, I know who it is. And trust that he will not go unpunished. It will just make things loads easier if you told us who it was."

"Us? Is there anyone else here?" My senses were unhinged, I couldn't hear much else except for Draco talking to me.

"No, Madam Pomfrey left for a little while so she could so get some more ingredients for her potions. And Astoria had been here, but you were still unconcious. She's gone now, so it's just us."

I nodded. It was the only real thing I was able to do without causing myself any pain. Merlin, this was awful. I hated being in the Hospital Wing. I didn't want to be here; it was a place of sickness. Granted, I was hurt, and I had to be here. That didn't mean that I wanted to be. Idly, I wondered how bad I had really been. Was it like with my werewolf attack? Had I been close to dying? I had been bleeding, and I predicted that I had lost a lot of blood. I felt woozy, and though I knew I needed something to eat, the thought of food was revolting.

"Why did you help me?" I asked. It was too silent.

"Anyone with a conscience would," he said.

I nodded again, pain lancing through my chest. He was right, if anyone saw a naked and bloody blind girl laying in the middle of a room barely concious they would help her. Because it was the common courtesy. Nothing more, and nothing less. I cleared my throat, trying to think of something else to say. I hated the silence that hung between us.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I could be better," I said. "I've been worse."

"That's true," he murmured. Sadness layered his tone. I wanted to know what he was thinking about.

"Ah, good, you're awake. I was beginning to worry," Madam Pomfrey announced herself loudly. I winced at the sharp tone of her voice in my ears. Draco squeezed my hand lightly, reassuring me. I took a deep breath and relaxed. "All right miss Valentine, I'm going to need you to drink this."

She took my free hand and placed a small cup in it. Draco released my other hand and helped me into a sitting position, holding me upright. I whimpered at the sudden pain that lanced through me, but tried to ignore it. Draco lightly rubbed my back, trying to soothe me. It worked. I took a small sip of the liquid Madam Pomfrey had brought me, and gagged.

"Sorry, dear, but you have to drink it. We don't know the entire situation of what happened, and the things that may have taken place, so..."

She let her words trail off. She didn't need to say it for all of us to know. If victims of rape survived, more often than not, they got pregnant, because why would the other person care? It's not like they cared if the mother, or even the baby, survived. I pinched my nose, and quickly drank the vile liquid. It burned its way down my throat, and I continued to pinch my nose. Draco snorted, amused. Madam Pomfrey took the glass from me and placed another in my hand.

"This will help with the pain, and will encourage faster healing."

I nodded and drank that one quickly, not bothering to release my nose, just in case this one tasted like vomit as well. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, then opened them and released my nose. There had been no taste to this one, for which I was grateful. I noticed that the pain had started to fade, either because I had been numbed or it was actually going away for the moment. I sighed and layed back down. Draco settled me in my earlier position and took my hand again. I didn't fight him.

"Just continue to rest, dear," Madam Pomfrey said kindly. "Mr. Malfoy has volunteered to take care of you, and has been excused from his class for the week. Whatever you need, he will get. And, Malfoy, don't forget to administer the potions. I'll be out; I've made plenty, so you'll never have to prepare them yourself."

"Why are you leaving?"

"Dumbledore told me something has happened and he needs me there. Anyway, I trust you will keep things sane."

"Yes, ma'am," Draco said respectfully. My lips twitched into a small smile. I had never heard Draco used those words. As Madadm Pomfrey walked away, I turned my eyes to Draco and raised one of my eyebrows.

"What?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"I can be respectful," he scoffed. "And I quite like her, thank you very much. I think I might be a Healer when I graduate from this school."

"Interesting profession," I nodded.

"My father would be proud," Draco said bitterly. I frowned, but he didn't elaborate, either ignoring my obvious confusing or choosing not to explain.

"Well," I said as lightly as possible. "I hope it works out for you."

He chuckled and patted my hand. "It will, I wouldn't doubt it."

We were silent again, but soon he stretched, releasing my hand. "I know I shouldn't leave you, but Astoria told me to tell her when you were awake. Blaise won't be coming near you anytime soon, so you don't have to worry."

I flinched at the sound of his name. Draco smoothed my hair back, his hand lingering for a moment on my cheek, and then he walked away. I sighed and leaned into my pillows, closing my eyes. After last night... I really realized just how stupid I was being. I did like Draco, this was undeniable. No matter how much I _wanted _to deny it, I just couldn't. But, the question that I was beating myself up with, was did he feel the same? Of course there was that weekend in Hogsmeade, and we had both responded, but... he had seemed like he had rejected me. It had seemed like I was just another plaything of his; it was like he had gotten bored very quickly. I sighed again and tried to clear my head. I certainly didn't need this stress. I would just leave this for later, when I could properly sit on my own, humor moving my legs without screaming, and maybe even walking. I just needed to leave this alone.


End file.
